Two Good Things From Iraq

Those Iraqis who are working together to frame Iraq's new constitution vow to meet the August 15th deadline. This comes after 12 Sunnis made a move to suspend participation on the committee after two Sunni members were assassinated and after another two quit altogether. One of the most contentious items so far is women's rights. Some object to using Islamic law to apply to women's rights and want to keep in place secular law. It appears that there is open and honest debate going on as to the direction the new constitution will take Iraq. This is good for it is up to the people of Iraq to decide their future. Yahoo News

There was other good thing to come out of Iraq today and a first. The Iraqi government called on a nationwide moment of silence to remember those killed in last weeks terrorist attack in which the majority of victims were children and to remember the 100 killed in a terrorist attack over the weekend. Participation was sporadic, mainly due to the fact a lot of people were unaware of it. One participant had this to say:

"To me, participation in the three-minute silence is like taking part in last January's elections — challenging the terrorists," said Sheik Jalal al-Saghir, a prominent Shiite Muslim cleric in Baghdad.

"They are spreading fear and, in response, we said today 'You are threatening to kill me and I am telling you here I am. Come and kill me'."

So, despite the terrorists attempts, the Iraqi people are still charging ahead and working together to create the country they want. You cannot but help to admire their courage and resolve. I earnestly hope that those working on the constitution will take the progressive view on women's rights.